Sizemore leaves A's to get MRI; roster move likely

ANAHEIM -- A's second baseman Scott Sizemore sprained his surgically repaired left knee in Tuesday's 9-5 win over the Angels and will return to the Bay Area on Wednesday to undergo an MRI exam.

Both Sizemore and his employers are holding out hope that the injury is minor, but with Josh Reddick also out nursing a sprained right wrist, the A's will place one of them -- likely Sizemore -- on the disabled list on Wednesday, in order to ensure enough healthy bodies are on their bench.

Once they do, Andy Parrino will be promoted, MLB.com has learned. The versatile infielder/outfielder, brought over in the offseason in the trade that sent Tyson Ross to the Padres, enjoyed a nice spring with the A's and was batting .174 (4-for-23) in six games with the River Cats through Tuesday.

Parrino hit .207 with one homer and six RBIs in 55 games with San Diego last year, appearing in 26 games at shortstop and 15 at second base, while also playing two games at third and one in right field.

Sizemore sustained the injury in the fourth inning of Tuesday's contest while chasing after a fly ball off the bat of Mike Trout that fell in for a hit. He exited the game and was replaced by Eric Sogard.

"I just kind of stopped, kind of with a straight leg, and it didn't feel right," Sizemore said. "It kind of tightened up on me. ... We'll get it checked out tomorrow and hopefully it's something minor and won't be anything too serious. But, as of now, we don't know anything."

Sizemore underwent surgery on that same knee just last spring as a result of a torn ACL, forcing him to miss all of 2012. Tuesday marked just his second appearance of the season.

Best-case scenario, Sizemore learns that the pain is stemming from scar-tissue tearing.

"That would be good," he said, "but at this point, it's just kind of all speculation, so we just wish for the best."

Improving Reddick likely to miss Angels series

ANAHEIM -- Josh Reddick expressed improvement in his sprained right wrist on Tuesday, but the A's outfielder remains day to day and is unlikely to play in the club's three-game series in Anaheim.

Manager Bob Melvin wasn't ready to say as much on Tuesday afternoon, but he didn't have to. Reddick won't attempt to pick up a bat until Wednesday, making even the possibility of a Thursday return ambitious. Friday, it seems, could potentially be the soonest he makes his way back to right field.

In the meantime, Melvin said he will rely on Chris Young to handle right-field duties, giving the A's an outfield of three true center fielders, with Yoenis Cespedes in left and Coco Crisp in center.

"When things like this pop up," he said, "you realize why the front office went out and got us the type of depth we do have."

Still, a trip to the disabled list remains a faint idea, with Reddick not even thinking about it.

"I don't see it happening," he said.

Reddick was relieved by an encouraging visit with the team's trainers on Tuesday and was simply going to continue to ice the wrist, still visibly swollen, and perhaps try a handful of range-of-motion and strength exercises later in the day.

"Then we'll see where we're at tomorrow," he said.

Reddick initially sustained the injury Sunday in Houston, where his wrist took the brunt of the impact when he crashed into a wall trying to snag a ball in foul territory. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for X-rays, which proved negative.

Anderson on track to start on Saturday

ANAHEIM -- On the same day the Angels learned they'll be without No. 1 starter Jered Weaver for a month, the A's got encouraging information regarding their ace.

Lefty Brett Anderson, who sustained a left thumb contusion during his Sunday start against the Astros, is "in good shape" to make his next scheduled outing at home on Saturday against the Tigers, manager Bob Melvin said.

"He's going to play catch today and if everything goes well, I don't see why he wouldn't throw his normal bullpen a couple of days after that," Melvin said. "It's a little bit sore, but he does get an extra day, anyway."

Anderson can thank Monday's off-day for that. He'll now be able to push back his bullpen session and start on five days' rest, rather than the standard four.

The A's southpaw underwent X-rays that came out negative at a Houston hospital after completing his sixth inning on Sunday, four frames after he hurt his thumb. Knowing he was able to pitch with the injury, matching a career high in strikeouts (10) along the way, the A's were never too concerned but simply wanted to act out of precautionary measures.

Nakajima, Rosales are getting healthy

ANAHEIM -- A's infielders Hiroyuki Nakajima and Adam Rosales are making encouraging strides in their respective rehabs back in the Bay Area, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said on Tuesday.

Nakajima, nursing a strained left hamstring, has begun taking swings in the cage and, on Monday, he even endured a few 40-yard sprints.

"He's starting to feel that much better," Melvin said, "so my guess is that once we get home he might be able to get out on the field with us and do all the normal pregame activities."

The A's return home from a six-game road swing on Friday, and should Nakajima be ready to participate in full baseball activity, the club can then begin deciphering potential timetables, including when to send him out for a Minor League rehab assignment.

Still, when Nakajima is deemed 100 percent, he's not guaranteed a spot on the A's roster -- not while Jed Lowrie remains fully healthy himself and continues raking at the plate, where he entered the day batting .500 through the first seven games.

Rosales, meanwhile, has also started taking swings and playing catch, after being limited by an intercostal strain. He, too, will likely play in a few Minor League games before the A's decide whether to bring him back.

Worth noting

• Nate Freiman made his first career start at designated hitter on Tuesday, while the left-handed-hitting Brandon Moss drew the start at first base against Angels lefty C.J. Wilson.

Melvin noted Moss' improved approach against southpaws when discussing his lineup decisions, while also noting that he wants to keep Moss fresh at first base before he hits the paternity leave list when his wife delivers their second child. Allison Moss is due April 28.

• Crisp entered Tuesday as just the second player in Oakland history with both a double and a home run in three consecutive games. Matt Stairs did it in August 1997.

Jane Lee is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, Major Lee-ague, and follow her on Twitter @JaneMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.